Pedometer.



PATENTED JULY 26, 1904.

W. E. PORTER. PBDOMETER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES A TTORNE rs No. 765,992. I PATENTED JULY 26, 1904.

w. B. PORTER. Y

PEDOMETER.

APPLIUATIOK'PILED APR. 22, 1902- H0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. IIIIII'I'IIII'IIIIIIIIII WITNESSES INVENTOR Patented July 26, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

WVILSON E. PORTER, OF NElV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

PEDQM'ETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,992, dated July 26,1904.

Application filed April 22, 1902.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVILsoN E. PORTER, of the city and county of NewHaven, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Pedometers, of which the following is a full. clear, and exactdescription whentakenin connection with the accompanying drawings,which, form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1represents a front view of a pedometer embodying my invention; Fig. 2, areverse view with the, case removed; Fig. 3, a Vertical section throughlines 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a top view in detail of the washer carryingone end of the mainspring; Figs. 5, 6, and 7, views of a modification ofmy device corresponding, respectively, to Figs. 1, 2, and 3; Fig. 8, abottom view of one of the washers carrying one end of the mainspring;and Fig. 9, a top view of the washer carrying the other end, asillustrated in the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 7.

In all figures similar letters of reference represent like parts.

My invention relates to pedometers or devices for registering thedistance traveled by a pedestrian carrying the same, and has for itsobject the production of a novel, simple, and efficient constructionembodying the various improvements and combinations of parts set forthhereinafter.

Referring to the drawings for a more particular description, the letterA designates the case, B the stem, and C the ring attached thereto bywhich the pedometer may be sus pended.

D and D represent the plates adapted to be secured in any suitablemanner to the case and upon which the movement is mounted.

(Z represents pillars holding the plates in their proper relation witheach other.

E represents a lever carrying a weight (2 at one end and rigidlyconnected to a post 6 at the other end, the latter havingjournal-bearings in the plates D and in a bridge F, mounted on andsecured to the plate D by a screw f or other suitable means.

Loosely mounted on the post a beneath the lever E is a ratchet G,connected to a pinion 9, located between the plates D and D. Two

Serial No. 104,125. (No model.)

spring-pawls H and I, both of which engage the ratchet-wheel Cr, aresecured, respectively, to the plate D and the lever E.

A washer K, which may be formed, as shown, slotted at k, is fitted onthe post a, where it is held by a frictional contact alone to normallyrotate with the post. A spring L is coiled about the post and has oneend secured to a lugf" on the bridge F and theother end secured by-anysuitable means to the washer K. The washer K, having a merely frictionalconnection with the post a, may upon the application of sufficient forcebe turned on the post, so that the tension of the spring L may beadjusted to the proper nicety. Normally the tension should be sufiicientto retain the weighted lever in its raised position (shown in Fig. 2)against the stop ill on the plate D. Upon any jar of the pedometer, asin the step of the pedestrian carrying it, the weight of the leverovercomes for a moment the tension I of the spring and forces the leverdown against a secondary stop N, from which point the spring will returnit to its normal position. The stop N is in the form of a cam and ismounted on a post N and rotatable thereon. A gear 0 is also mounted onthe post a to rotate with the cam, and a spring-catch P, secured to theplate D, engages the gear to hold it in any desired position and untilsufficient force is exerted to overcome the engagement of the catch.This secondary stop N and its associated parts are of substantially theconstruction shown an d described in United States Patent No. 694,652,granted March 4, 1902, to Edmond Kuhn, assignor to the AmericanPedometer Company, and therefore needs no detailed description. Upon themovement down and up of the lever E the ratchet-wheel G will be rotatedby the pawl l and held from reverse rotation by the pawl H. The movementof the ratchet-wheel G is communicated through the pinion g by a trainof gears, (not shown,) which may be of any suitable construction, to anindicator or hand R, which travels around a dial S on the case A of thepedometer.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 to 9 the parts are the same exceptthat one end of the spring is not secured directly to the bridge but adisk T is provided with a downwardly-projecting sleeve V, having anaxial perforation o, adapted to fit loosely over the post 6 and enter acircular perforation in the bridge W. This sleeve is adapted to fit sonicely in the bridge W that it is normally held rigidly'thereto byfrictional contact, but may upon the exertion of sufficient force orpressure be turned therein. The spring X is con nected to the washer Kat one end and to a lug or post 6 on the disk T. By this means either orboth ends of the spring are adjustable, the one in relation to the leverand the other in relation to the bridge.

The spring should be adjusted so that it will permit the jar of the stepof the pedestrian to throw the weighted end of the lever downward to itsfull limit and then return it to its normal position, for if the leverfails to make its complete movement between the two steps theratchet-wheel will not be turned the proper distance to accuratelyregister the distance traveled. As the steps of various people vary andthe length of the movement of the lever is changeable at will, thepossibility of adjusting the spring is essential. Moreover, by theconstant jarring given to the pedometer, .and consequently to the springconnected to the lever, the spring is apt to be worn or lose its niceadjustment, which prevents the correct operation of the pedometer. Bymeans of my improvement the spring may be readily and correctly adjustedat any time for either of these reasons without removing any of theparts.

Having now described my invention, which may vary somewhat in itsdetails without departing from the spirit thereof, what I claim, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a pedometer, the combination with a frame, of a weighted vibratorylever, a ro tary post mounted on said frame and rigidly secured to saidlever, stops for limiting the movement of said lever in both directions,registering mechanism operated by the movement of said lever, a washerhaving frictional engagement with said post, a spring connected withsaid frame, and washer, and tending to normally hold said lever againstone of said stops, said spring being adjustable to permit said lever tovibrate between both of said stops, substantially as described.

2. In a pedometer, the combination with a frame, of a Weighted vibratorylever, a rotary post mounted on said frame and rigidly secured to saidlever, a stop for limiting the movement of said lever in one direction,a registering-train operated by the movement of said lever, a washerhaving a frictional connection with said post, and a spring secured tosaid washer and adjustably connected to said frame, tending normally tohold said le-

